Postgame: Washington Loses Close One to Dallas in Mistake-Filled Monday Night

Coming into Monday night, everyone knew the Dallas Cowboys were slightly banged up and that the Washington Redskins were off to an impressive 2-0 start with a good chance of stealing one at Jerry's House.

Perhaps those same people didn't anticipate such a sloppy back-and-forth between two relatively unknown kickers?

As the Cowboys attempted to get it done with a slouching Tony Romo, and the Redskins did what they could with a questionable decision-maker at quarterback, the Cowboys eventually prevailed with a 18-16 win. 

Here's a few postgame takes from a disappointed Redskins fan's perspective. 

Redskins MVP Could Actually Be Cowboys' Offensive Lineman

Cowboys center Phil Costa racked up at least four horrible snaps and what appeared to be about a dozen misreads that placed his team and their offense in awful field position. 

Luckily for Costa, the Cowboys sneak out a win and his bad snaps become something to work on in practice rather than full-on game-changers. Had Dallas lost this game, Costa may have very well ended up being pinned to the field goal post and battered with tomatoes.

And let's be honest, my obsession with Maryland Terps football goes well beyond the ugly blue and silver that Costa currently wears, but there are no excuses for his play tonight. 

Had the Redskins held on to the win tonight, ESPN could very well be covering the first-ever thank you card from one team to another. 

Third Down Efficiency

Describing this game as a sloppy one would be an understatement—for both teams. The Cowboys and Redskins combined for just five conversions on a total of 25 third downs Monday night, which is generally the reason for just a single touchdown being scored in 60-minutes. 

Obviously we're angry about the Redskins lack of execution on third down, but we have to appreciate and respect the Redskins' defense. 

The Dez Bryant desperation reception on third-and-21 in the fourth quarter was, of course, not one of the highlights. But otherwise, the Redskins held a potentially explosive offense to just 23 percent on third down. 

For the most part, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett called effective blitzes and coverage plays throughout the game. It wasn't until the safety blitz on that particular third-and-21 play that will earn him the criticism from a play-calling standpoint. 

Battle of the Boot

As a fan, you want to see touchdowns. As a fan, maybe you didn't want to be a spectator for the Monday night game that included six field goals from the Cowboys and three field goals from the Redskins. 

Cowboys rookie kicker Dan Bailey finished the game with 18 points, nailing 6-of-6 field goals to keep Dallas afloat. 

Redskins kicker Graham Gano connected on three-of-four field goals, one of which was a 50-yarder to end the second quarter and head into halftime tied at 9-9. 

Watching two guys boot the crap out of the ball may not be the most entertaining thing to watch on television, but it was the most crucial piece of both team's offenses. 

The Redskins must improve at finishing drives, especially those within the red zone. Leaving points on the field is almost as frustrating as watching Rex Grossman carry the football like a bad smelling stick of dynamite. 

Redskins Show More Discipline with Every Game

One positive to take away from each Redskins game is their improving discipline as a unit. Whether it's the limiting of penalties, the solid tackling or the awareness of our recently-assembled defense, the Redskins are becoming a respectful team in terms of intelligence. 

Again, the safety blitz late in the game is the exception, otherwise the Redskins had decent play-calling on both sides of the ball, the tackling was impressive, with only a few that were actually missed and the Redskins also committed just four penalties all game--doing their best to avoid shooting themselves in the foot. 

The discipline that I'm trying to describe won't peak overnight, nor will it necessarily end up on the box score. But this is a positive step in the right direction and it's a big deal for the Redskins to continue to progress. 

Respect the Defense as a Whole

Even after a tough loss and 375 total yards allowed, there's a lot of good to take away from the Redskins and their defense. 

With standout performances by Josh Wilson, LaRon Landry, London Fletcher, Stephen Bowen, Ryan Kerrigan and Rocky McIntosh, fans have to be excited with every growing week. 

The Redskins defense didn't let up a single touchdown to the Cowboys on Monday night and they were able to force two turnovers (a fumble recovery and an interception). 

Tony Romo entered the game with a broken rib and punctured lung and the Redskins did their best to apply pressure and shake him around a bit. Without going back on the film, Washington did a good job, holding Romo to 255 yards and a pick. 

For what it's worth, I like the Redskins' chances of drastically improving their defense following the bye week.